Wells Fargo, National Urban League & U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Partner to Empower Diverse Business Owners

SAN FRANCISCO, May 13, 2014 In recognition of National Small Business Week, Wells Fargo is partnering with the National Urban League and the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) to host a series of small business seminars and workshops nationwide. The workshopsincluding business resource fairsprovide attendees with information on the following topics: starting a business, access to capital, advice for young entrepreneurs, marketing, and social media strategies. The program is part of Wells Fargo’s annual Small Business Appreciation Celebration.

Collectively, Wells Fargo has supported the National Urban League and the USHCC for more than a decade by providing programmatic support, funding and resources for members and constituents.

As part of its relationship with USHCC, Wells Fargo and the USHCC Foundation offer the Chamber Training Institute (CTI) to chamber leaders throughout the year. The Chamber Training Institute series is held in six cities every other month throughout the year, and it offers executive level, two-day trainings in partnership with the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business and the support of Wells Fargo.

“At the National Urban League, we aim to provide businesses owned by people of color with the tools, guidance and resources needed to help them achieve long-term business success,” says Marc H. Morial, president and CEO of the National Urban League. “Our partnership with Wells Fargo has been instrumental in helping us support small businesses and thus encourages the kind of entrepreneurship that leads to asset-building and generational wealth.”

Small business success is vital to the continued growth of the economy, but some small business owners may lack the resources or access to information that can guide them in reaching their goals.

The joint program will provide educational resources and offer additional support for local programs benefiting diverse small business communities, such as the National Urban League’s Entrepreneurship Centers which are located in Atlanta, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Houston, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Los Angeles, New Orleans and Philadelphia. These centers enable minority entrepreneurs to take advantage of new business opportunities and qualify for financing that will lead to high-level business growth through the provision of proper management skills.

“We are very pleased to partner with Wells Fargo and the National Urban league on this nationwide effort. As the nation’s leading advocate for 3.2 million Hispanic-owned businesses, the USHCC recognizes the benefits such coalition-based initiatives provide for all American businesses,” said USHCC President & CEO Javier Palomarez. “We are delighted with the planned activities. These seminars and workshops are potentially transformative for entire communities. They empower local chambers and businesses with the networks, skills, and knowledge they need to scale their operations, create jobs, and enrich local economies.”

In addition to the financial education series, Wells Fargo also introduced a broad multi-year initiative, Wells Fargo Works for Small Business^SM, to deliver guidance and services to help more small businesses achieve financial success. The initiative includes WellsFargoWorks.com, an enhanced online resource for small business owners; and the Wells Fargo Works Project, an online video series featuring true stories of five small businesses working with Wells Fargo to achieve their business goals and a national contest where small business owners can compete to win $25,000 along with mentorship and tailored solutions for their business. Along with the Wells Fargo Works for Small Business initiative, Wells Fargo announced a goal to extend $100 billion in new lending to small businesses by 2018.

“We want to provide small business owners with valuable information that is convenient and easy for them to access. It’s critical for us to support small business growth from offering financial services to delivering educational resources and guidance, said Lisa Stevens, Wells Fargo’s head of Small Business and Pacific Midwest regional banking president. “We’re bringing in industry experts to share their knowledge and experiences directly with local business owners.”

Small Business Workshops:

May 8Morris County Hispanic American Chamber of Commerce, Morristown, NJ

May 13Small Business Appreciation Day: Tools for Success (Las Vegas Urban League, Las Vegas, NV)

May 14Running an Effective Small Business (Los Angeles Urban League, Los Angeles, CA)

May 15Small Business Legacy Summit (Urban League of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA)

May 15South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Miami, FL

May 20Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber, Austin, TX

May 21Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Santa Ana, CA

May 21Fresno Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Fresno, CA

May 21Access to Capital Forum “Where is The Money”(Urban League of Greater Atlanta, Atlanta, GA)

May 21Wells Fargo Small Business Appreciation Week Reception (Houston Area Urban League, Houston, TX)

May 28Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Denver, Denver, CO

About Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a nationwide, diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.5 trillion in assets. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, insurance, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through more than 9,000 locations, 12,500 ATMs, and the internet (wellsfargo.com), and has offices in 36 countries to support customers who conduct business in the global economy. With more than 265,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 25 on Fortune’s 2013 rankings of America’s largest corporations. Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy all our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially. Wells Fargo perspectives and stories are also available at blogs.wellsfargo.com and at wellsfargo.com/stories.

About the National Urban League

The National Urban League (www.nul.org) is an historic civil rights and urban advocacy organization dedicated to economic empowerment in historically underserved urban communities. Founded in 1910, and headquartered in New York City, the National Urban League has improved the lives of tens of millions of people nationwide through direct service programs that are implemented locally by its 95 Urban League affiliates in 36 states and the District of Columbia. The organization also conducts public policy research and advocacy activities from its D.C. based Washington bureau. The National Urban League, a BBB accredited organization, has a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, placing it in the top 10 percent of all U.S. charities for adhering to good governances, fiscal responsibility and other best practices. Connect with the National Urban League on Twitter (@NatUrbanLeague).

About the USHCC

Founded in 1979, the USHCC actively promotes the economic growth and development of our nation’s entrepreneurs. The USHCC advocates on behalf of nearly 3.2 million Hispanic-owned businesses that together contribute in excess of $468 billion to the American economy, each year. As the leading organization of its kind, the USHCC serves as an umbrella to more than 200 local chambers and business associations across the nation, and partners with more than 220 major corporations.

For more information, visit www.ushcc.com

Follow us on Twitter @USHCC